NEWS: Another Norovirus Outbreak Has Struck a Popular Cruise Line

Disney4me · April 4

You might want to rethink that cruise — yet another norovirus outbreak has hit a cruise ship.

©Cunard

More than 240 people on board the luxury Cunard Queen Mary 2 have fallen ill with the highly contagious stomach bug, CNN has reported.

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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the outbreak as the Queen Mary 2 was toward the end of a four-week-long return trip from the UK to the Caribbean. The ship regularly makes transatlantic crossings “designed to hark back to the golden age of luxury ocean liners.”

©Cunard

This sailing departed from Southampton on March 8th and is scheduled to return on April 6th. A total of 224 of 2,538 passengers and 17 of 1,232 crew members have become sick with norovirus, per the latest CDC data.

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) keeps track of outbreaks at sea and confirmed it is “remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures.”

©Cunard

Cunard — which is owned by Carnival Corporation — said that they are “continuing to closely monitor” passengers with gastrointestinal symptoms and highlighted the “comprehensive deep clean of the ship.” The cruise line noted its activation of health and safety protocols has caused “a reduction in reported cases.”

Back in December, more than 300 people contracted the virus on three different vessels. Those who got sick back then were on Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess on a trip around Hawaii, as well as Holland America’s Rotterdam and Zuiderdam cruises.

©Holland America

In 2025, seven cruise ships sailing out of the U.S. have reported outbreaks of illness to the CDC so far. Royal Caribbean reported the spread of a “gastrointestinal illness” onboard the Radiance of the Seas, which sailed out of Tampa.

©Holland America

“Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruise ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas and rapid turnover of passengers,” the CDC website states. “When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water; or by passengers who were infected while ashore.”

With norovirus being so contagious, you might want to know what to do to protect yourself on a cruise. One easy preventative measure is to wash your hands often, including after using the toilet and changing diapers, before eating or handling food, and before giving yourself or someone else any medication. One thing you’ll need to note is that hand sanitizer does not do a great job of preventing norovirus, so you’ll want to use soap and water when you can.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on these norovirus outbreaks and let you know of any other potential cases that could impact your next vacation. In the meantime, stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest travel news and more!